Worthiness is a Choice, Worthiness is a Practice

A strong belief in our worthiness doesn’t just happen - it’s cultivated when we understand the guideposts as choices and daily practices.

— Brene Brown in Daring Greatly

Without even reading what the guideposts she describes are (which you should do, because they are profoundly true), we can take this simple bit away: Our beliefs and self-worth are grounded in moment-by-moment choices and daily practices.

I can choose to see myself as beloved and worthy of love and put that choice into practice.

To paraphrase Jesus, we love others as we love ourselves. Often our love of ourselves goes unchosen and unpracticed. We think we are loving others when we are really sacrificing ourselves to attempt to love those around us. We choose and practice the worthiness of others, yet neglect ourselves.

As a recovering addict to the self-love/self-hate dichotomy, I am beginning to love myself, and have found that love did not just happen to me, I received it. I choose it. I practice it.